New Handset Unlocking Policy for Fido

**partyfavor** · 03-03-2011, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by eonibm

In a recent article in The Star, the writer stated that the policy of Canadian carriers in not unlocking subscribers' phones purchased under subsidy or not is illogical since the carrier will still be entitled to the monthly contract revenue from the subscriber regardless of whether someone goes to another carrier now that their phone is unlocked.

Furthermore, unlocking phones allows subscribers to travel with their phones and use local SIM cards at a lower rate than roaming with their home carrier, which most people don't do anyway given the usurious roaming rates charged. e.g. Roaming with Fido in the US is $60/75MB & $50/100 min which is $124.30 with tax and that would hardly last you a week of travel. With AT&T's GoPhone on your iPhone you only pay $20/100MB/30days & 10c min nationwide or $2 per day for unlimited talk/SMS on the days you use it or $60 unlimited talk/SMS/30days or $75/200MB/unlimited talk/SMS/30days. With these competitive rates Fido is hardly losing revenue due to the loss of roaming fees from unlocked iPhones (and we can software unlock them anyway and avoid the roaming rates). Also, it would create revenue from the unlocking fees and tons of goodwill as they'd be the only or at least the first carrier doing it.

100% agreed.
they still have us on contract, and YES most of us want to unlock for travel (I wouldnt bother if they had decent roaming rates)

**eonibm** · 03-03-2011, 11:39 AM

Yes and if you did go to another carrier and paid the ECF then this compensates them for the subsidy they gave you originally.

I just returned from Argentina where 2GB data valid for 2 days was only 10 pesos or $2.50 CDN. Then I just used Skype 3G/WiFi for voice at 2.7c min and emailed instead of texted. In Australia I paid $60 for 750MB + 300 min voice + 600 SMS. I calculated that I would have had to pay Fido thousands of dollars if I roamed on their system for the data I used in those countries. So, Fido received zero revenue instead.

I too would not bother software jailbreaking and unlocking my iPhone and installing foreign SIMs and handing over money to foreign carriers if Fido's roaming rates were competitive. And, certainly, I would not move to another carrier if Fido unlocked my iPhone because then I'd be paying both Fido and another carrier a monthly fee.

The policy just doesn't make sense.

**ceredon** · 03-03-2011, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by eonibm

In a recent article in The Star, the writer stated that the policy of Canadian carriers in not unlocking subscribers' phones purchased under subsidy or not is illogical since the carrier will still be entitled to the monthly contract revenue from the subscriber regardless of whether someone goes to another carrier now that their phone is unlocked.

Furthermore, unlocking phones allows subscribers to travel with their phones and use local SIM cards at a lower rate than roaming with their home carrier, which most people don't do anyway given the usurious roaming rates charged. e.g. Roaming with Fido in the US is $60/75MB & $50/100 min which is $124.30 with tax and that would hardly last you a week of travel. With AT&T's GoPhone on your iPhone you only pay $20/100MB/30days & 10c min nationwide or $2 per day for unlimited talk/SMS on the days you use it or $60 unlimited talk/SMS/30days or $75/200MB/unlimited talk/SMS/30days. With these competitive rates Fido is hardly losing revenue due to the loss of roaming fees from unlocked iPhones (and we can software unlock them anyway and avoid the roaming rates). Also, it would create revenue from the unlocking fees and tons of goodwill as they'd be the only or at least the first carrier doing it.

Originally Posted by eonibm

Yes and if you did go to another carrier and paid the ECF then this compensates them for the subsidy they gave you originally.

I just returned from Argentina where 2GB data valid for 2 days was only 10 pesos or $2.50 CDN. Then I just used Skype 3G/WiFi for voice at 2.7c min and emailed instead of texted. In Australia I paid $60 for 750MB + 300 min voice + 600 SMS. I calculated that I would have had to pay Fido thousands of dollars if I roamed on their system for the data I used in those countries. So, Fido received zero revenue instead.

I too would not bother software jailbreaking and unlocking my iPhone and installing foreign SIMs and handing over money to foreign carriers if Fido's roaming rates were competitive. And, certainly, I would not move to another carrier if Fido unlocked my iPhone because then I'd be paying both Fido and another carrier a monthly fee.

The policy just doesn't make sense.

Pretty much fully agreed. I think their idea is that they feel that because they provided a subsidy, they are then entitled to ALL possible revenue generated by that device. They feel entitled, beyond the revenue guaranteed by their contract, any money you might spend by using that phone. In any other industry that would be illegal, as it is a restraint of trade. You own the phone. You have an obligation to fulfill your contracted payments in exchange for the subsidy. The two are not and should not, be tied together to prevent you from trading with another carrier and using your personal property in the transaction.

**eonibm** · 03-03-2011, 09:34 PM

Great. Well I am just going to sell my 32GB iPhone 3GS that I bought on subsidy in 2009 and the brand-new sealed-in-box Fido-locked 64GB iPhone 4G/5 that I am going to get on subsidy this summer. What I get for the two of those should more than cover the cost of the factory-unlocked 64GB iPhone 4G/5 I will then buy from Apple.

**Mark2000** · 03-04-2011, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by eonibm

Great. Well I am just going to sell my 32GB iPhone 3GS that I bought on subsidy in 2009 and the brand-new sealed-in-box Fido-locked 64GB iPhone 4G/5 that I am going to get on subsidy this summer. What I get for the two of those should more than cover the cost of the factory-unlocked 64GB iPhone 4G/5 I will then buy from Apple.

I have an iPhone 4 which I bought launch day, and I just paid the ECF (which is only $200 on my plan) and bought a second iPhone 4 locked to Fido, which I then sold on Craigger's. With all the profit I made from the sale (about $100 bucks) I paid the $50 unlock fee for my original iPhone 4 and had $50 to spare!

Video Skype and streaming music on Telcel 3G, laying on the beach in Mexico FTW!!!

**Mark2000** · 03-04-2011, 08:29 AM

Please delete, HoFo had problems.

**Mark2000** · 03-04-2011, 08:51 AM

Please delete, HoFo had problems.

**WorldIRC** · 03-04-2011, 09:39 AM

^So awesome that you thought to announce it 3 times!

**Mark2000** · 03-04-2011, 10:21 AM

Please delete, HoFo had problems.

**WorldIRC** · 03-04-2011, 11:01 AM

^Really? 4 times?

**Mark2000** · 03-04-2011, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by WorldIRC

^Really? 4 times?

Please. Obviously there was a technical problem out of my control. HoFo made me do it.

**a in yul** · 03-04-2011, 04:53 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmhyc_QynE

**WorldIRC** · 03-04-2011, 05:03 PM

The bird made me do it.

Originally Posted by Mark2000

Please. Obviously there was a technical problem out of my control. HoFo made me do it.

**ceredon** · 04-05-2011, 07:03 AM

Called in last night about 7:30 to have another iPhone 4 unlocked. After over 30 minutes I finally got transferred to the unlock team only to have the line drop as she answered. I tried calling back, but couldn't get past the IVR, so I guess they closed at 8. Called 1-888-Rogers1 and explained the situation to them. They transfered me to the unlock dept (same as Fido's) and 20 minutes later it was done. Guess Fido customers can call either provider.